1. Field of the invention
The invention relates to an image recording apparatus that uses hot melt ink for recording and, more particularly, to a technology for supplying a solid piece of ink from an ink cartridge, which houses a plurality of solid ink pieces, to a recording device.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional image recording apparatus, ink that assumes a solid state at normal temperatures is heated and melted by a recording device, and ink melt is ejected to a recording medium by the recording device. Such an image recording apparatus is mainly used for recording on a large-size recording medium.
When the remaining amount of solid ink becomes short, the aforementioned conventional image recording apparatus produces an alarm, to indicate to an operator that the ink supply is dwindling. Thus, the conventional image recording apparatus is subject to a problem regarding ease of operation.